Methods and systems for visualizing shapes of tracked devices

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and system of visualizing a first sensed shape of a first elongated device (14) having a first) length and a second sensed shape of a second elongated device (16) having a second length. The first elongated device (14) and the second elongated device (16) are physically linked to one another over at least a part (28) of the first and second lengths. The first sensed shape and the second sensed shape have been obtained independently of each other. The method comprises the steps: providing one of the first and second sensed shapes as a reference shape and the other of the first and second sensed shapes as a linked shape; determining along the reference shape and the linked shape an overlap region in which the reference shape and the linked shape should match due to a physical overlap of the first and second elongated devices (14, 16) in this region; copying, in the overlap region, an overlap region reference shape portion to an overlap region linked shape portion so that, in the overlap region, the linked shape is visualized as matching the reference shape.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO PRIOR APPLICATIONS[0001]This application is the U.S. National Phase application under 35 U.S.C. § 371 of International Application Serial No. PCT / EP2016 / 078924, filed on Nov. 28, 2016, which claims the benefit of European Patent Application No. 15196511.8, filed on Nov. 26, 2015. This application is hereby incorporated by reference herein.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention relates to methods and systems for visualizing shapes of shape sensed elongated devices, wherein the elongated devices are at least partially physically linked to one another, while the elongated devices are shape sensed independently of each other.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]The shapes of elongated devices can be sensed by different shape sensing technologies, for example magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computer tomography (CT). Another shape sensing technology for sensing the shapes of elongated devices is referred to as Fiber-Optic RealShape (FORS). In the present desc...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0010]It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and a system for improved visualization of reconstructed shapes of two or more independently tracked devices which are at least partially physically linked to each other.

Problems solved by technology

However, in practice, it may happen that the visualized reconstructed 3D shapes of the guidewire and the catheter are not perfectly aligned in the overlap region.

Small errors in the shape sensing accuracy, for example in the localization of the sensed shapes with respect to the coordinate system of the shape sensing system can result in a misaligned visualization of the tracked devices in regions where the sensed shapes should match.

In particular, in a live video guidance and navigation procedure, such misalignments in the visualization may temporally vary leading to an unstable rendering of the sensed shapes, leading to distraction and tiring of the user.

In summarizing the foregoing, when two or more devices are tracked independently of each other, but are physically linked, for example one device is arranged inside the other, visualization by simply drawing the individual shapes will produce an unstable image.

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